AvP: Avatar vs Predator
by jollyroger103
Summary: The Na'vi thought they had won against the alien invaders. But now they face a new invasion; from the most feared hunter in the galaxy.
1. Chapter 1

Jake awoke to something. Beside him, Neytiri stirred restlessly, sitting up slowly, her eyes scanning the area around him. He was still not as in-tune with the land as she and the native Na'vi were, but even he could sense that something was amiss. She got up, gathering her bow and arrow as he followed suit. Both were quiet, something different from their usual morning rituals. Jake knew better to interrupt Neytiri when something bothered her, and they stalked off silently into the branches of the large tree they had been in, leaping from limb-to-limb as they traversed the forest.

He may be a bit clueless at times still, but Jake could notice right away what was so wrong; the forest was silent. At any point in time, there was usually _something_ making a noise; not so at the moment. There simply didn't seem to be anything stirring either on the ground, or in the trees. Neytiri paused in front of him, and he realized they'd already traveled several kilometers from the new Hometree the Omaticaya had inhabited since they had banished the RDA and most of the humans. As they leaped to another tree and continued on their exploration, the subtle sounds of life returned. There was a droning of many wings, and Neytiri pointed out to him a shaded area in the canopy.

"Over here…" she said softly, leading him towards the area.

A small group of _riti_ had converged and were buzzing around. It reminded Jake of Venezuela, the time that- They reached the area, and the small flying creatures darted away in surprise. Jake had a bad feeling, putting a cautionary hand on Neytiri's shoulder as she pushed aside the branches. With a shocked gasp she retreated a step, turning away from the sight before them. More out of curiosity than anything else, Jake continued to look.

Hanging upside down, with a bloody stump at the neck and utterly devoid of skin was a freshly-slaughtered carcass. The Na'vi hunted, and it was easy to see that this animal had been strung up like prey, skinned and cleaned. However, the surprising thing was that there seemed to be no meat taken from the animal. Then his eyes widened; for the creature before them was no prey animal. They were looking at the hunted carcass of a full-grown Palulukan.

"Who in the world…?" Jake asked rhetorically, his eyes scanning the area around him, trying to make sense of the scene before him.

_

* * *

_

_Over here-over here…_

The prey had come, as expected. One of the remarkable things about this new prey was their attachment to the local fauna. Unlike the humans that had been chased away, they were concerned with a creature's death as they were with one of their own. What's more, they proved a formidable foe against the humans, a longtime hunted species that had a surprising tenacity-for how many hunters had been defeated by them-too many to think of humans as a dishonorable prey. Even now, as they were observed moving through the forest, one could not help but appreciate their finely-crafted bodies. Strong and agile, capable of withstanding great physical challenges and adapted to their environment; truly they would make a worthy prey.

What happens next is expected, nothing of consequence. The female recoils, and that one action confirms his study of the creatures. The male is obviously different from the others, and a scan of his skeletal structure shows subtle differences between his bone development than the other males of the tribe.

_Who in the world…? Who-in…world…?_

The male looks around the surrounding treetops. High above in one of them his being observed, and for a moment, his eyes seem to focus in that direction. A curious behavior. Several prey over the years have alerted to the presence of their hunter. The camouflage they utilize isn't fool-proof, but most prey are unable to differentiate the subtle change in light as it is bent around the Yautja form. His eyes stay locked for a moment before returning to look at the carcass. Satisfied that the ruse has worked, he moves on from his observation post, leaping to a nearby limb to observe at a greater distance. A rustling sound far below catches his attention, and he turns away from the mated pair to see what new quarry can be found. Leaping down to a lower branch, the Yautja swings low as a group of hunters pass underneath.

These are the ones he is interested in. most of the society is made up of artisans and other unattractive occupations. These hunters are another matter, in part reminiscent of the ancient Yautja. Taking a perch on another branch, he looks on as they prepare for the hunt. Their arrows, though laughably primitive, are dipped in a toxin that is better avoided if possible. They are making almost no noise, even as they ride their large hexapodal "horses." One of them, riding in the center, directs the other two to fan out. Moving into the lower canopy, the Yautja monitors as the hunt leader is left alone.

* * *

Wokan had become a hunter two years ago, and had been one of the first to rally behind Tsu-tey during the attack on the Hometree. Now he was glad that the humans had been exiled, and that their way of life could continue. It was a good day for a hunt, and his friends Mawey and Ateyo were just as eager for the hunt as he was. They had gone to flank their prey to flush it out and he was waiting patiently for their signal. He had just prepared his bow and didn't notice the invisible lariat that slipped around his neck, and he had no warning as he was suddenly pulled up. His Pa'li snorted in surprise as Tsaheylu was broken, and his bow and arrows fell at the creature's feet. It was startled again as the prey darted from the foliage, Mawey and Ateyo trailing behind. Their gallop stopped as they saw the lone Pa'li, looking confused as they looked around the still leaves and plants. Aside from the discarded belongings, they couldn't find a trace of him.


	2. Chapter 2

Norm Spellman, like most of the scientists at the former-RDA facilities, was completely unaware of the goings-on at the Omaticaya Hometree. Today he had planned out an excursion into the nearby forest. The natural vegetation had begun to grow back, and he was studying how the network was reintegrated with the surrounding flora. He led a pair of fellow researchers in his Avatar, having been healed after the mortal wound during the Battle for the Tree of Souls. Along with them was a Na'vi guide, Leyra. She had been one of Dr. Augustine's students long ago, and when Norm had asked for someone from the tribe to assist him as a guide and assistant, she had readily agreed. Working with Dr. Spellman had proven to be rewarding, as he was just as enthused to learn from her as she was to learn from him.

"Listen…" Leyra said, holding up her hand to halt the group. She made a leap into a low-hanging branch, swinging herself with her momentum to the next level of branches. Her eyes scanned the surrounding area as a less-graceful Norm caught up with her. "Do you hear that?" she asked him, not looking back.

"No…" Norm said, perking his ear up to listen for a moment. "What do you hear?" he finally asked.

"Nothing…that's the problem," her brow wrinkled. We _should_ hear something…but we're not," Leyra answered. Her eyes caught movement and she tensed, her entire body becoming still as she looked into a stand of trees fifty meters away.

_Listen _

Softly, he growled as the new prey approached. When scouting the terrain with his brother upon their arrival, he had chosen this location for his hunt. The humans, to him, were an interesting prey. But he felt the pressure of competition; his brother already had several skulls-notably he had taken the first kill of the native hominids. He had crouched in a tree to observe them when a female-a native rather than the odd hybrid male with her-seemed to be alerted to his presence, moving into the trees ahead of the others. Changing vision modes, he made sure she wasn't bearing a child, just in case she made suitable prey. He noted that she seemed more sure-footed than the male, and his skeletal structure showed human traits aside from the native bone structure. Their eyes looked in his direction, and he stayed still, relying on his camouflage to conceal him from their suspicions. He listened to their conversation, the words repeating through his helmet functions.

_Nothing…_

_Is something there?_

_No…maybe I am imagining it._

The pair retreated down to the surface, and the Yautja let out a soft croak. These creatures seemed more aware of their surroundings than the humans, or those interesting cross-breeds. Using the cover of foliage and the tracking system of his mask, the Yautja trails behind the group. There is only one that he wants, and he has a plan in mind for setting up a trap. Their group is small, so it is an easy task to move around them. Half of the group is human, making them easier to deal with as well. Moving into position, he is perched just above them and ahead of their trail. The trap is about to be sprung, and as he waits in silent anticipation, he sharpens his wrist-blades.

_Over here…_

"Did you hear…?" Norm asked Leyra. When he didn't hear a response, he craned his neck around, realizing that she wasn't behind him. His eyes darted around the surrounding forest, trying to find out where she had gone. He cursed himself silently; her hesitance should have warned him to be more attentive, especially so far from the compound. Despite their "nativeness" to the land, they were still in danger of many indigenous life-forms. Jake's first encounter came to mind, and Norm brushed it aside as he tried to gather his wits. The voice had sounded familiar…somewhat feminine…yet distorted as well. Almost like a recording, he thought, climbing a low-hanging branch to get a better view.

_Over here…_

There it was again. What did it mean? Who was calling him? The entire situation was starting to unnerve him, and he was desperate to get back to the group. He wondered if they had heard the voice and were searching it out, or if it was some sort of hallucination. An exobotanist could spend a lifetime on Pandora and not understand a tenth of the flora…what if he'd been dosed with some hallucinogen and didn't even realize it? It was a wild theory, one which he knew was silly, but then again, hunting for an otherworldly voice on an alien planet was pretty silly-sounding to the majority back on Earth.

_Is something there…?_

Now Norm knew something wasn't right. He paused, crouching low as his eyes scanned the trees, branches and ground surrounding him. That had been his voice…surely it had. Only…it had the same inflection as the earlier whisper. Something wholly different was happening here, and he didn't know what to make of it. Deciding to make a dash for it, Norm braced himself, sprinting along the branch as he took a leap across to the next tree. As he landed on the branch lightly, Norm pivoted on his foot, turning around as he felt a presence behind him. He didn't see anything until he was suddenly lifted off of his feet by some force. The force of whatever-it-was pressed him against the tree branch. It felt like…a net, he realized, though he could only feel-not see-the net that wrapped around him. Whatever material the net was made of, it was constricting tight against his body, the wire cutting into his skin. Inside his chamber, his human body twitched at the stimulus. The wire stopped constricting, even as he bled from the wounds it caused.

Something landed in front of Norm, causing the branch to sway by its landing. A sinewy outline of a humanoid approached him, and even in terror his scientific mind was trying to decipher what sort of creature this was. There was an electrical arching along the figure, and his eyes opened wider in horrific wonder at the being that stood before him. One arm displayed a wicked, four-foot long pair of blades, while the other held an eight-foot long staff, the points at either end clearly meant for spearing. The creature roared a guttural, otherworldly growl as it pumped its chest with its free hand. Its other hand pointed the spear straight at Norm's chest. The intrepid scientist had only a second to think as the spear plunged into his heart, passing through his body and imbedding into the tree.

"Motherfucker…!" Norm twitched and spasmed as his human body emerged from the capsule, still in shock from the trauma sustained by his Avatar. His hands clasped his chest, reassuring himself that he had not just been skewered. His breathing came in ragged, hollow breaths as he tried to take into account what had just happened to him. One thing was sure…he had to warn Jake.


	3. Chapter 3

The Hallelujah Mountains were a sight to behold, and as the messenger Ahoragi returned from his delivery to the Ikran People, a sight that was stranger than wondrous befell his eyes. It was the Tsahik who noticed it first, a swath of destroyed vegetation at the foot of one of the floating mountains. They urged their Ikran lower, circling widely as they tried to make sense of it. Deciding to put himself at risk, Ahoragi motioned for his companions to stay where they were as he guided his Ikran to a soft landing on the torn forest floor below. The mount screeched in apprehension, and he quieted it with soft words and a stroke of its muzzle. Heading on, he could tell that something large had fallen from the sky. It was almost like when the Sky People would crash, back before the war. Except, in this instance there was no burning or fire that the Sky People usually made. The snapped trees and underbrush was slick with something, and Ahoragi hesitantly touched his fingers to it; blood. The blood was everywhere…as if whatever had caused the trough of destruction had bled the entire length.

He was afraid now, deathly afraid. There was no cause yet as to what had happened, but it was clear that it had been a terrible sight indeed. A droning, buzzing sound became apparent to his ears, and he realized that this was the first sound he had heard in the forest since landing. Moving swiftly forward, Ahoragi stopped in his tracks at the swarm of riti before him. He shooed them away, which took a considerable amount of time, and it was then that the red hide became visible to him. That sight itself made him scramble for safety, even knowing that the hide belonged to a carcass as opposed to a live animal.

The corpse of the Toruk was evident, even from his hiding place. Ahoragi stood up, realizing his relative safety, stepping forward lightly. As he got closer, a shiver ran up his spine, causing him to pause. A new wave of fear shook him, not from the body, but from what it represented. The head was gone, a lifeless stump with clotted blood indicated where it had been. Toruk was the "last shadow" the hunter of the hunters. There was nothing that he could think of that would be able to do such a thing to a Toruk. He remembered the strange happenings that were occurring, the reason for his mission to the Ikran people. Jakesully and the others needed to know of this soon. A croaking, alien sound echoed from the forest around him. He snapped his head around in all directions, trying to find the source. Ahoragi had the sinking feeling that he was being watched. No longer curious, he sprinted to his Ikran, leaping onto its back as he urged it into the air.

* * *

Earlier…

There was one creature on the planet that was desired above all others. With the contest of wills underway, the Yautja were in full competition with one another. This next kill would ensure that any other trophies that were taken would pale in comparison. Sharpening his wrist-blades with the laser sight, the Yaujta was crouched at the cliff face of one of the floating mountains. The strange radiation around the area interfered with his helmet's vision modes, the laser designator and the adaptive cloak. He shed them all, ready to prove himself as a hunter among hunters. He had been tracking the habits of his current prey for days. The smaller, blue-hued fliers were especially liked by the prey, and were feasted on at regular intervals, It invoked a sense of nostalgia, seeing the large red one prey on the others. The ultimate predator. Churring at the thought, he readied himself, stepping up to the edge of the cliff.

The prey flew below, hundreds of feet underneath his feet. With a guttural roar, he pushed off the edge, the wind whipping past his face as his mandibles opened in a mixture of excitement, exhilaration and primal power. Extending his wrist-blades fully, he dives head-first, blades pointed towards his target. The prey's head whips up, suddenly alert to the menace about it. As large as it is, it cannot maneuver quickly enough, and there is a satisfying feeling as the blades sink into the fleshy wings of the prey. A loud roar of pain and anger echoes off of the mountain faces, the large bloody tear causing the animal to falter in the air, no longer able to keep suitable lift. Both plummeted in a spiraling fall of epic proportions, cries and roars of anger as they grappled in a death grip. Using the wrist-blades to hold on, the Yautja moved to the anterior, sinking his right wrist-blades deep into the Toruk's chest. It roared in rage and pain, continuing its spiraling descent, trying to crane its neck around to snap at the thing that dared to attack it.

Neither was prepared for the impact of the ground. The force knocked the Yautja free of its death-grip on the Toruk, landing several yards away. Both were still, the only movement coming from the Toruk's wings as they flapped uselessly, unable to gather force with the membranes cut to ribbons. After a few moments, the Yautja stirred, picking its head up and shaking itself free of the momentary disorientation. Sheathing its wristblades, the Yautja stalked over to the Toruk, wary of its wounded prey. With a mighty shake of the ground, the Toruk lashed out with its talons, a quick jump the only thing keeping the Yautja from being torn asunder. With its own dominant growl of displeasure, the Yautja charged ahead, launching itself into the air as it extended a combi-stick. When it landed, the sharp tip dug itself deep into the Toruk's fleshy breast, and it bucked in rage once more. With a mighty thrust, the Toruk shook off its attacker once more, sending the Yautja tumbling into the ruined underbrush. The Toruk struggled with the combi-stick imbedded into its chest, trying vainly to pull it out. It was bleeding badly, but the excitement and the anger it held was keeping him alive, fueling his rage as he stumbled to his clawed feet, looking for the thing that dared to challenge his rule of the sky.

The Yautja stood up, growling its predatory warning as it saw the Toruk rise to its feet. With the loss of the combi-stick, the only weapon remaining was a smart-disc and the dual wrist-blades. It dismissed the idea of the smart-disc; the prey was resilient, and the smart-disc lacked the intimacy that it wanted for the kill. Both opponents squared off, neither making a move as they each gauged their opponent. Clenching its fists, the Yautja was the first to strike, extending the wrist-blades and launching into a manic dash forward. The Toruk snapped forward, its massive jaws opening to devour its attacker. The Yautja ducked and dodged the attack, bringing its left wrist-blades up underneath the jaw. A gurgling roar escaped the Toruk's mouth, and a swipe of its right wrist-blades severed the head from the body. Blood jetted out from the wound, splashing the foliage, ground and the hunter in a crimson bath. With a mighty howl of accomplishment, the Yautja retracted its blades, placing its hands under the severed head and lifting the trophy in triumph.

A static crackling made it look up, as its brother hunter stood in the trees, looking down at the killing field. The successful hunter went to the corpse, removing its combi-stick from the chest and using its wrist-blades to cut open the upper torso. Breaking the ribcage, it dug into the body, exerting force as it pulled out the Toruk's mighty heart. Gesturing to its onlooker brother, the Yautja clicked its mandibles, churring before taking a bite of the organ, tossing the rest to the ground and beating its chest.


End file.
